Sir Anthony van Dyck

By descent from the sitter to his daughter, Margaret (d.1702), who married Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford (1653-1727), Chippenham Park, Cambridgeshire;
By inheritance to Orford's great-niece, Laetitia, Lady Sandys (d.1779), wife of Samuel, 1st Lord Sandys (1695-1770);
By descent to their son, Edwin, 2nd Lord Sandys (1726-1797);
By inheritance to his niece, Mary Sandys, wife of Arthur Hill, 2nd Marquess of Downshire (1753-1801);
thence by descent

O. Millar, et al., Van Dyck, A Complete Catalogue of his Paintings, New Haven and London 2004, no. IV 20, p. 442

The following condition report is provided by Hamish Dewar who is an external expert and not an employee of Sotheby's. Structural Condition The canvas has been lined and has a wooden keyed stretcher. This is ensuring an even and secure structural support. Paint Surface The paint surface has an even varnish layer and inspection under ultra-violet light shows a number of small scattered retouchings, the most significant of which are: 1) lines highlighting the sitter's hair and the contours of his face and collar, 2) an area in the upper left of the background which measures approximately 9 x 2 cm and would seem to be excessive and larger than is really necessary, 3) retouchings around the sitters right hand and sleeve, again highlighting the contours, and these retouchings again seem to be larger than is necessary and should they be removed could be significantly reduced with more careful retouching. There are other small scattered retouchings and perhaps some glazing in the background. There are some areas of slight shrinkage caused by the drying processes of the artist's materials, particularly in the background to the left of the sitter's hair. These are entirely stable and not visually distracting. Summary The painting would therefore appear to be in good and stable condition and no further work is required for reasons of conservation.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Bedford was a charismatic and talented courtier and politician, who fought on both sides during the Civil War and represented the family borough of Tavistock in both the Short and Long Parliaments. The eldest son of Francis Russell, 2nd Baron Russell of Thornhaugh, later 4th Earl of Bedford, and his wife Catherine, daughter and coheir of Giles Brydges, 3rd Baron Chandos, in July 1642 he assumed command of Parliament's horse, and that September led the campaign against the Marquess of Hereford in the West. He fought with Essex at Edgehill on 23rd October, but by the summer of 1643 had become disillusioned with the course of the Parliamentarian campaign and allied himself with the Earls of Holland and Clare, finally joining Charles I at Oxford in August. He fought with the Royalists at the siege of Gloucester and at the Battle of Newbury on 20th September, but later returned to the Parliamentarian fold following a brief imprisonment in 1644. 

Painted in circa 1640, the present painting is characteristic of the strong and dynamic quality of van Dyck's late portraiture. Unsurprisingly for such an important sitter a copy, inscribed with the date 1640, is in the collection of the Pennington-Mellor-Munthe Trust, and copies of the head are at Blenheim Palace, Woburn Abbey and Warwick Castle. In 1637 Bedford married Anne Carr, daughter of Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset (c.1587-1645) and his wife Lady Frances Howard. She was painted several times by van Dyck, including a full length portrait at Woburn and a half length portrait at Petworth. A double portrait of him with his wife, painted at the time of their marriage, is at Wilton. The celebrated portrait of him with George Digby, later 2nd Earl of Bristol, often called War and Peace, is at Althorp.